16 oz. uncooked wide noodles (makes about 4 C. cooked)
1/2 C. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 C. cooked ham, cubed
1 can (1 C.) cooked peas
2 TB. butter+ some for buttering your casserole dish
2 TB. flour
milk as needed (about 1/2 to 1 C.) -or- broth of your choice of the same amount
salt and pepper to taste
Boil your noodles. Butter your casserole dish and set it aside. Turn the oven on to 350F. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add in the peas and ham and cook until the ham is sizzling and the peas are hot. Remove to a dish and set aside. Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle the flour over top, stirring it to break up any lumps and to blend it in. Let it brown just a little. Gradually add in the broth or milk, stirring well after each addition, until the resulting sauce is moderately thin. (Like thin custard or cream.) Add in the cheese, whisking the sauce well until the cheese is all melted. Season to taste. (Don't do this step earlier or you may accidentally add in too much, or not enough, salt.) Add the peas and ham back in and stir to blend. Put the cooked noodles in the buttered casserole dish and pour the sauce over the top, tossing the noodles in the sauce so that they are fully coated and the sauce is evenly distributed. Put a cover on the casserole dish and bake it until the sauce is bubbly and the casserole is hot. (About 20 minutes.)
_________
Ham & Noodle Casserole, a bastion of Italian cook frugality (you "finish! finish!" it later!, later! in its new reincarnation as a casserole made of leftovers), is also, to my surprise, traditional. I found it, with an Italian name (which I can't remember), among Grandmom's recipe cards. Basically, the Italian version uses parmesan cheese (instead of cheddar) and a little white wine. So, for those who are interested:
The Italian Version of Ham & Noodle Casserole
16 oz. uncooked wide noodles (makes about 4 C. cooked)
1/2 C. parmesan cheese, shredded
1 C. cooked ham, cubed
1 can (1 C.) cooked peas
2 TB. butter+ some for buttering your casserole dish
2 TB. flour
broth as needed (about 1/2 to 1 C.)
2-3 TB. white wine
salt and pepper to taste
Boil your noodles. Butter your casserole dish and set it aside. Turn the oven on to 350F. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add in the peas and ham and cook until the ham is sizzling and the peas are hot. Remove to a dish and set aside. Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle the flour over top, stirring it to break up any lumps and to blend it in. Let it brown just a little. Gradually add in the broth, stirring well after each addition, until the resulting sauce is moderately thin. (Like thin custard or cream.) Add in the wine, and season to taste. (Don't do this step earlier or you may accidentally add in too much, or not enough, salt.) Add the peas and ham back in and stir to blend. Put the cooked noodles in the buttered casserole dish and pour the sauce over the top, tossing the noodles in the sauce so that they are fully coated and the sauce is evenly distributed. Add in the parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Put a cover on the casserole dish and bake it until the casserole is hot. (About 20 minutes.)
1/2 C. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 C. cooked ham, cubed
1 can (1 C.) cooked peas
2 TB. butter+ some for buttering your casserole dish
2 TB. flour
milk as needed (about 1/2 to 1 C.) -or- broth of your choice of the same amount
salt and pepper to taste
Boil your noodles. Butter your casserole dish and set it aside. Turn the oven on to 350F. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add in the peas and ham and cook until the ham is sizzling and the peas are hot. Remove to a dish and set aside. Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle the flour over top, stirring it to break up any lumps and to blend it in. Let it brown just a little. Gradually add in the broth or milk, stirring well after each addition, until the resulting sauce is moderately thin. (Like thin custard or cream.) Add in the cheese, whisking the sauce well until the cheese is all melted. Season to taste. (Don't do this step earlier or you may accidentally add in too much, or not enough, salt.) Add the peas and ham back in and stir to blend. Put the cooked noodles in the buttered casserole dish and pour the sauce over the top, tossing the noodles in the sauce so that they are fully coated and the sauce is evenly distributed. Put a cover on the casserole dish and bake it until the sauce is bubbly and the casserole is hot. (About 20 minutes.)
_________
Ham & Noodle Casserole, a bastion of Italian cook frugality (you "finish! finish!" it later!, later! in its new reincarnation as a casserole made of leftovers), is also, to my surprise, traditional. I found it, with an Italian name (which I can't remember), among Grandmom's recipe cards. Basically, the Italian version uses parmesan cheese (instead of cheddar) and a little white wine. So, for those who are interested:
The Italian Version of Ham & Noodle Casserole
16 oz. uncooked wide noodles (makes about 4 C. cooked)
1/2 C. parmesan cheese, shredded
1 C. cooked ham, cubed
1 can (1 C.) cooked peas
2 TB. butter+ some for buttering your casserole dish
2 TB. flour
broth as needed (about 1/2 to 1 C.)
2-3 TB. white wine
salt and pepper to taste
Boil your noodles. Butter your casserole dish and set it aside. Turn the oven on to 350F. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add in the peas and ham and cook until the ham is sizzling and the peas are hot. Remove to a dish and set aside. Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle the flour over top, stirring it to break up any lumps and to blend it in. Let it brown just a little. Gradually add in the broth, stirring well after each addition, until the resulting sauce is moderately thin. (Like thin custard or cream.) Add in the wine, and season to taste. (Don't do this step earlier or you may accidentally add in too much, or not enough, salt.) Add the peas and ham back in and stir to blend. Put the cooked noodles in the buttered casserole dish and pour the sauce over the top, tossing the noodles in the sauce so that they are fully coated and the sauce is evenly distributed. Add in the parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Put a cover on the casserole dish and bake it until the casserole is hot. (About 20 minutes.)
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